When did people start drinking mate?
Mate is a caffeinated drink from South America. Indigenous tribes originally used mate leaves to make an invigorating tea. The leaves are dried, shredded and steeped in hot water to make the tea. Mate is especially popular in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. It has a bitter, herbal flavor.
Drinking mate is a cherished social tradition. Friends and family share a gourd filled with mate and pass around a special straw. Offering mate to someone is a sign of respect and friendship.
This South American drink contains caffeine and other nutrients. People also enjoy mate for its distinctive flavor profile. While the traditions around mate drinking originated long ago in indigenous tribes, mate itself has spread far beyond its birthplace to become a global phenomenon.
The Legend of Mate’s Origins
The indigenous Guarani tribe believed mate was a gift from the gods. According to legend, the god Pa’i Shume rewarded a loyal daughter by showing her tribe how to brew mate.
In addition to caffeine, yerba mate contains antioxidants. These provide health benefits including potential anti-cancer properties. The antioxidants reduce inflammation as well. Many reasons to drink mate.
Mate as a Social Tradition
In South America, mate is more than a drink. It’s a tradition bringing families and friends together. Being offered mate is a sign of respect and a way to make friends. Over centuries, the art of sharing mate has been passed down.
You may be surprised the tradition isn’t just in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, but also the Middle East. Syria and Lebanon are the largest mate importers.
Argentinians usually drink mate for breakfast or before sunset, hot or cold depending on weather. Beyond getting together to drink something, that has value.
Additional Legends About Mate’s Origins
The Guarani believed mate was a gift from the gods. They were farmers, so every few years they moved fields and homes as soil depleted. According to legend, an old farmer in ill health decided to stay until his life’s end rather than move again. His daughter refused to leave his side and stayed after the tribe moved on. The god rewarded her loyalty. This was confirmed later by Aimé Bonpland.
When the Spanish colonized South America, they learned the use and benefits of mate from the Guarani, so mate quickly gained great popularity. It was mainly the Jesuit missionaries who spread the consumption of mate in an extraordinary way.
The Guarani believed mate was a gift from the gods. They later discovered the secret: the seeds were pre-digested by toucans.
The Enduring Popularity of Mate
In South America, mate is far more than just a drink. It is a social and cultural tradition which brings families and friends together. Over the centuries, the art of sharing mate has been passed down through generations.
Over the centuries, the drink’s popularity in Argentina faltered at times as coffee and tea took hold of the caffeinated beverage market. However, because of its unique qualities and distinctive flavor, the beverage has seen a resurgence since the 1980s.